November 2nd, 2005the walmart war room
I’m sorry, but this is just damn entertaining. Wal-Mart has a war room. And it’s packed with political consultants.
Apparently they’re the targets of two watch groups, Wal-Mart Watch and Wake Up Wal-Mart, and now there’s a film about to air Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price.
I don’t know why, but I’m highly disturbed by this whole debacle. Did you know that on average, Wal-Mart’s fulltime employees only make 17,500 a year? That’s ridiculous.
Personally, Wal-Mart bugs me. The staff tend to be rude, annoyed that they are there and that you are there, and the other shoppers are as well. Screaming children, crowded aisles and slow cashiers doesn’t make for a fun experience… but the low prices on cleaning supplies and Diet Coke and bottled water. Sigh. It’s a tough call.
So, who shops at Wal-Mart? And why?
hate it as much as i hate brushing my teeth and then drinking orange juice.
Comment by wendykat — November 2, 2005 @ 10:34 am
Yeah. I was thinking about it more, and I realized I a) haven’t gone in a long time and b) whenever I do, I get all anxious.
Scary place.
Comment by the insider — November 2, 2005 @ 10:47 am
i refuse to go there, period. do all my shopping at target, which has its own political issues but is so much more fun (to me at least). still, i think both those places can take away your will to live depending on how crowded they are and how many screaming children are there.
Comment by Moxie — November 2, 2005 @ 10:55 am
I saw on the news once that if they raised the price of all their products by one cent, they could pay their employees $1/hour more – just imagine if they upped everything by five cents! Have you read “Nickel & Dimed” yet? The author works for a stint at Walmart… it sounded like hell.
I only shopped there when I lived in a small town on Vancouver Island and it was the only game in town. It was a nightmare I don’t wish to repeat now that I have other options!
Comment by Le Will — November 2, 2005 @ 10:57 am
Moxie—Target. Yep. I used to shop there with my mom all the time. The prices are higher, but it’s definitely a better environment. (Even with the screaming children.)
Le Will—I’m going to have to pick that book up. Interesting. I totally believe it. I can’t imagine having to live on so little in this day and age.
On another topic.. you lived on Vancouver Island?! Love it there. 🙂
Comment by the insider — November 2, 2005 @ 11:00 am
love target. it’s so much nicer. cleaner. the lighting is better. and their merchandise is better quality.
though now i have a good job and i’ve been shopping at h&m, tj maxx, marshalls, gap, and old navy. i like old navy. it’s cheesy, but they have nice stuff. and the gap had jeans that actually fit my curvy frame… mmmmmm. though they are still too long even though i got the “ankle” ones… sigh.
Comment by wendykat — November 2, 2005 @ 11:27 am
See, I’m mainly talking about cleaning supplies, paper products and bottled water. Never clothes. (Old Navy/Gap fan myself)
The lighting is really different, now that I think about it. Hmm.
Comment by the insider — November 2, 2005 @ 11:36 am
I am ashamed to admit that I shop at Wal-Mart. I am too poor to have principles. 😉
I do love H&M though. Here in Switzerland where fashion has been forgotten and you get to pay through the nose for hideous clothing, H&M manages to make nice stuff and at reasonable prices.
Comment by ms. mac — November 2, 2005 @ 12:42 pm
Wendykat-your Old Navy must be better than our Old Navy, it’s all low quality crap here! I like the Gap too for the same reason you do (jeans that fit). No Targets here yet…
Insider-yes, I lived in on Van Island in Courtenay for a year and miss it. I saw bald eagles everyday and spent most of my time in the woods or beachcombing. Grampa would hate it, the people there are pure hippies (lots of Vietnam draft dodgers…)
Comment by Le Will — November 2, 2005 @ 12:42 pm
Aiieee! Sorry about the caps lock. You and your no upper case, there are consequences!
Comment by ms. mac — November 2, 2005 @ 12:43 pm
Ms. Mac—Me too, lol. 🙂 And no worries about the caps lock, I’m very hands-on around here. 😉
Le Will—Old Navy is pretty nice around here, I must agree. And no Target?! So sad.
I love Van Island. It’s gorgeous—and I was always highly entertained by the hippies. There was this one shop that sold all sorts of hippie “paraphernalia,” if you get my drift. 😉 lol
Comment by the insider — November 2, 2005 @ 12:54 pm
oh the pretty glass sculptures?
Comment by wendykat — November 2, 2005 @ 2:32 pm
Something like that, rotfl.
Comment by the insider — November 2, 2005 @ 2:42 pm
they hold candles right?
Comment by wendykat — November 2, 2005 @ 3:07 pm
Candles.. sure. And they work as pretty water dishes if you have a small pet, like a gerbil, or a ferret. (Not kidding, someone told me that.. rotfl.)
Comment by the insider — November 2, 2005 @ 3:13 pm
a ferret is not a small pet. and i’m not allowed to have anything that dies in two years or less.
Comment by wendykat — November 2, 2005 @ 3:21 pm
I didn’t think so either, but I’m not going to argue with a scary, smelly hippie. Sheesh. No, no, no.
Comment by the insider — November 2, 2005 @ 3:27 pm
Fuck’n hippies.
Comment by Grampa — November 2, 2005 @ 4:02 pm
ah.. there’s grampa.
Comment by wendykat — November 2, 2005 @ 4:03 pm
Aww.. look who decided to come play. lol
Comment by the insider — November 2, 2005 @ 4:04 pm
I was takin’ a nap, you whippersnappers.
I shop at Wal-mart, for things like laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, OTC medications, the occasional pack of fruit of the loom boxer briefs, boot laces, things of that nature.
I also buy some camping gear there, like mosquito punk, small tanks of propane, oh, yeah, and car parts, like oil and air filters for my car.
They also have decently priced plates for my weights, so I get my 10 and 25 pound plates there when I need more.
However, that all being said, like most men, I am a true guerilla shopper. I always have a list and I know exactly what I want, where it is located and I’m in and out. Woe to those old people and children that don’t get the fuck out of my way. Wal-mart is just rife with trampling incidents. My average trip there lasts about eight minutes, maybe half again that long if there are long lines at the checkout.
Comment by Grampa — November 2, 2005 @ 5:59 pm
Well you woke up rarin’ to go, hmm?
I’m speedy in Wal-Mart too, lol. Although I don’t trample people—I glare. It’s lovely. 🙂
Comment by the insider — November 2, 2005 @ 6:09 pm
that may very well be the longest i’ve ever seen grampa comment without nodding off and getting all drooly in his lay-z-boy.
Comment by wendykat — November 2, 2005 @ 8:06 pm
I’d say. Normally the drool trails ’cause the site to short and shit.
I’m so proud. He must’ve had a lot of coffee this morning…
Comment by the insider — November 2, 2005 @ 8:45 pm